Page 46 of Ash

He let his bear back into his head, retreating into background.

They watched as the bathroom door closed and then they waited for it to open again, both of them ignoring any sounds beyond the door.

They knew that the bathroom had been empty before she walked in, they'd already searched the house with their hearing, searching for any dangers in her home.

A thought popped up in his head.

Is this,Ash asked his bear,is this why you wanted to come to town? Because you knew that Suzannah was coming?

He felt his bear shift uncomfortably inside.

Not exactly.

The bathroom door opened, and the light flared within view of the window.

They quieted as she walked back into her bedroom and closed the door.

Then what?

He felt the doleful sigh of his bear.

Ifelt a pull.

A pull.Ash knew the feeling himself.

He'd felt the pull between his parents and other mated couples that he knew. There was a kind of connection between mates that wasn't visible, but he could feel it there. And he'd felt an emptiness inside of him.

And even though he'd met Suzannah now, there was still a... a space inside of him.

Suzannah was there in his life, but she wasn't bonded to him yet.

And that space between them, both the physical space and their souls, was unsettling. He wanted to be closer to her in every way, but he wasn't going to force a bond on her.

Not now.

Soon.

Ash shook his head.She needs time to understand.

We need to protect her.

Who here in Mystic would dare come after my mate?

His bear breathed into the silence and Ash sighed. He knew the answer to that. It wasn't the shapeshifters that he had to worry about. Outsiders had come to Mystic Mountain and tried to hurt the people in town. Aaron Winter, Xavier Salazar, and Locke Ascher had defended their mates from danger within the area surrounding Mystic Mountain.

We'll stop any danger that comes her way.

He smiled at his bear's thoughts. Something else he completely agreed with.

They didn't always agree so whole-heartedly on many things, but this?

The front door of Suzannah's house opened and Ash turned to look.

Wrapped up in a quilt, Suzannah walked down the steps and started across the grass.

Ash stepped out of the bushes and met her more than halfway across the yard. "You should be sleeping."

She gave him a pointed look. "I was sleeping and then I woke up to use the ladies room and..."

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